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Celine Dion

Céline Marie Claudette Dion CC OQ ChLD (/ˈdiːɒn/; French: ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Born into a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, she emerged as a teen star in her homeland with a series of French-language albums during the 1980s. She first gained international recognition by winning both the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival and the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest where she represented Switzerland. After learning to speak English, she signed on to Epic Records in the United States. In 1990, Dion released her debut English-language album, Unison, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in North America and other English-speaking areas of the world.

Life and career

1968–1989: Early life and career beginnings

Dion was born in Charlemagne, Quebec, 15 miles west of Montreal, the youngest of 14 children of Thérèse (née Tanguay), a homemaker, and Adhémar Dion, a butcher, both of French-Canadian descent.[6][7] She was raised a Roman Catholic in a poor, but, by her own account, happy home in Charlemagne.[8][9] Music had always been a major part of the Dion family, and she was named after the song "Céline", which French singer Hugues Aufray had recorded two years before her own birth.[10] On 13 August 1973, at the age of five, the young Céline made her first public appearance at her brother Michel's wedding, where she performed Christine Charbonneau's song "Du fil des aiguilles et du coton".[11] She continued to perform with her siblings in her parents' small piano bar called Le Vieux Baril, "The Old Barrel". From an early age, she had dreamed of being a performer.[12] In a 1994 interview with People magazine, she recalled, "I missed my family and my home, but I don't regret having lost my adolescence. I had one dream: I wanted to be a singer."[13]

Dion at the age of 18

At age 12, she collaborated with her mother and her brother Jacques to write and compose her first song, "Ce n'était qu'un rêve", whose title translates as "It Was Only a Dream" or "Nothing But A Dream".[9] Her brother Michel sent the recording to music manager René Angélil, whose name he discovered on the back of a Ginette Reno album.[14] Angélil was moved to tears by Dion's voice and decided to make her a star.[9] In 1981, he mortgaged his home to fund her first record, La voix du bon Dieu, which later became a local No. 1 hit and made her an instant star in Quebec. Her popularity spread to other parts of the world when she competed in the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan, and won the musician's award for "Top Performer" as well as the gold medal for "Best Song" with "Tellement j'ai d'amour pour toi".[14]

At age eighteen, after seeing a Michael Jackson performance, Dion told Angélil that she wanted to be a star like Jackson.[17] Though confident in her talent, Angélil realized that her image needed to be changed for her to be marketed worldwide.[9] She receded from the spotlight for a number of months, during which she underwent dental surgery to improve her appearance, and was sent to the École Berlitz in 1989 to polish her English.[18]

By 1992, Unison, Céline Dion, and numerous high-profile media appearances had propelled Dion to superstardom in North America. She had achieved one of her main objectives: wedging her way into the Anglophone market and achieving fame.[24] However, while she was experiencing rising success in the US, her French fans in Canada criticized her for neglecting them.[12][25] She would later rebuff these criticisms at the 1991 Félix Awards show, where, after winning "English Artist of the Year", she openly refused to accept the award. She asserted that she was—and would always be—a French, not an English, artist.[18][26] Apart from her commercial success, there were also changes in her personal life, as Angélil, who was twenty-six years her senior, transitioned from manager to lover. However, the relationship was kept a secret as they both feared that the public would find their relations inappropriate.[27]

1993–1995: The Colour of My Love and D'eux

Celine Dion reading a magazine in 1994.

In 1993, Dion announced her feelings for her manager by declaring him "the colour of [her] love" in the dedication section of her third English-language album The Colour of My Love. However, instead of criticizing their relationship as she had feared, fans embraced the couple.[12] Eventually, Angélil and Dion married in an extravagant wedding ceremony in December 1994, which was broadcast live on Canadian television.[citation needed]

As with most of her catalogue, The Colour of my Love had over-riding themes of love and romance.[28] It became her most successful record up to that point, selling more than six million copies in the US, two million in Canada, and peaking at No. 1 in many countries. The album also spawned Dion's first US, Canadian, and Australian No. 1 single "The Power of Love" (a remake of Jennifer Rush's 1985 hit), which would become her signature hit until she reached new career heights in the late 1990s.[24]

The single "When I Fall in Love", a duet with Clive Griffin, achieved moderate success on the US and Canadian charts and was nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning one. The Colour of My Love also became Dion's first major hit in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. Both the album and the single "Think Twice" simultaneously occupied the top of the British charts for five consecutive weeks. "Think Twice", which remained at No. 1 for seven weeks, eventually became the fourth single by a female artist to sell in excess of one million copies in the UK[29] while the album was eventually certified five-times platinum for two million copies sold.[30]

Dion kept to her French roots and continued to release many Francophone recordings between each English record.[31] Generally, they achieved more credibility than her English-language works.[25] She released À l'Olympia, a live album that was recorded during one of her concerts at the Paris Olympia in 1994. It had one promotional single, a live version of "Calling You", which peaked at seventy-five on the French Singles Chart. She also recorded a bilingual version of Petit Papa Noël with Alvin and the Chipmunks for the 1994 holiday album A Very Merry Chipmunk. D'eux (also known as The French Album in the United States), was released in 1995, and it would go on to become the best-selling French-language album of all time.[31] The album was mostly written and produced by Jean-Jacques Goldman, and amassed huge success with the singles "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" and "Je sais pas". "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" reached No. 1 in France and stayed at the top position for twelve weeks. It was later certified Platinum in France.[32] The single reached the top ten in the UK and Ireland, a rare accomplishment for a French song. The second single off the album, "Je sais pas", reached No. 1 on the French Singles Chart as well and was certified Silver there.[33] These songs later became "If That's What It Takes" and "I Don't Know" on her next English album, Falling into You.[citation needed]

During the mid-1990s and onward, Dion's albums were generally constructed on the basis of melodramatic soft rock ballads, with sprinklings of up-tempo pop and rare forays into other genres.[34] She collaborated with many renowned writers and producers such as Jim Steinman and David Foster, who helped her to develop a signature sound.[12][35] While critical reviews fluctuated, her releases performed increasingly well on the international charts, and in 1996, she won the World Music Award for "World's Best-selling Female Recording Artist of the Year" for the third time. By the mid-1990s, she had established herself as one of the best-selling artists in the world.[36]

Falling into You garnered career-best reviews for Dion. While Dan Leroy wrote that it was not very different from her previous work,[38] and Stephen Holden of The New York Times and Natalie Nichols of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the album was formulaic,[39][40] other critics, such as Chuck Eddy of Entertainment Weekly, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AMG, and Daniel Durchholz, lavished the album as "compelling", "passionate", "stylish", "elegant", and "remarkably well-crafted".[37][41]Falling Into You became Dion's most critically and commercially successful album: it topped the charts in many countries and became one of the best-selling albums of all time.[42]

In 2013, CBC Music ranked Falling into you 33rd in their list of the 100 greatest Canadian albums ever.[43] In the United States, the album reached No. 1,[44] and was later certified 11× Platinum for over 11 million copies shipped.[45] In Canada, the album was certified diamond for over one million copies shipped.[46] The IFPI certified Falling into You 9× Platinum, an accolade that has been given to only two other albums in history, with one of the two being Dion's own album, Let's Talk About Love.[47] The album also won Grammy Awards for Best Pop Album and the academy's highest honour Album of the Year.[48]

Let's Talk About Love was another major success, reaching No.1 all over the world, attaining platinum status in twenty-four sales territories, and becoming the fastest selling album of her career.[53] In the United States, the album topped the chart in its seventh week of release,[54] and was later certified 10× Platinum in the US for over 10 million copies shipped.[55] In Canada, the album sold 230,212 copies in its first week of release, which remains a record.[56] It was eventually certified diamond in Canada for over 1 million copies shipped.[57][58] The most successful single from the album was the classically influenced ballad "My Heart Will Go On", which was written and composed by James Horner and Will Jennings, and produced by Horner and Walter Afanasieff.[48]

Starting from the mid 1990s, the pop rock influence that was more noticeable in her earlier releases, was replaced by a more mature feel.[50] Additionally, the recurring theme of "love" dominated most of her releases, which led to some critics dismissing her music as banal.[81] Other critics, like Elysa Gardner and Jose F. Promis, praised her voice during this period, describing it as a "technical marvel".[82][83] Steve Dollar, in his review of These Are Special Times, opined that Dion was a "vocal Olympian for whom there ain't no mountain—or scale—high enough".[84]

2000–2003: Hiatus, A New Day Has Come, One Heart and 1 fille & 4 types

Dion in 2000

After releasing and promoting thirteen albums during the 1990s, Dion stated that she needed to settle down, and announced on her latest album All the Way... A Decade of Song, that she needed to take a step back from the spotlight and enjoy life.[8][85] Angélil's diagnosis with esophageal cancer also prompted her to hiatus.[86] While on break, she was unable to escape the spotlight. In 2000, the National Enquirer published a false story about the singer. Brandishing a picture of Dion and her husband, the magazine misquoted her, printing the headline, "Celine— 'I'm Pregnant With Twins!'"[87] She later sued the magazine for more than $20million.[88] The editors of the Enquirer printed an apology and a full retraction to her in the next issue, and donated money to the American Cancer Society in honour of her and her husband. A year after the incident, after undergoing fertility treatments, she gave birth to a son, René-Charles Dion Angélil, on 25 January 2001, in Florida.[89][90]

Following the September 11 attacks, Dion returned to the music scene, and in a televised performance sang "God Bless America" at the benefit concert America: A Tribute to Heroes. Chuck Taylor of Billboard wrote, "the performance... brings to mind what has made her one of the celebrated vocalists of our time: the ability to render emotion that shakes the soul. Affecting, meaningful, and filled with grace, this is a musical reflection to share with all of us still searching for ways to cope."[91] She performed it again in 2003 during pregame festivities for Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego. In December 2001, she published her autobiography My Story, My Dream which chronicled her rags-to-riches story.[92]

Dion ended her three-year sabbatical from the music industry with the aptly titled album A New Day Has Come, released in March 2002. The album was her most personal yet, with songs focusing on her motherhood and maturation as a woman such as "A New Day Has Come", and "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)". She stated: "becoming a mother makes you a grown-up."[85] She stated, "A New Day Has Come, for Rene, for me, is the baby. It has everything to do with the baby... That song "A New Day Has Come" represents very well the mood I'm feeling right now. It represents the whole album."[93]A New Day Has Come debuted at No.1 in more than 17 countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada.[94][95][96] In the United States, the album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 527,000 copies; marking her first No.1 debut on the chart, as well as the highest debut sales week of her career in the US.[97] It was eventually certified 3× Platinum in the United States,[98] and 6× Platinum in Canada.[99]

In conjunction with an endorsement deal with Chrysler, she released One Heart (2003), an album that represented her appreciation for life.[105] The album largely consisted of pop and dance music—a deviation from the soaring, melodramatic ballads, for which she had been known. Although the album achieved moderate success, One Heart was met with mixed criticism, and words such as "predictable" and "banal" appeared even in the most lenient reviews.[106][107] A cover of the 1989 Cyndi Lauper hit "I Drove All Night", released to launch her advertising campaign with Chrysler,[108] incorporated elements of dance-pop and rock and roll. The advertising deal was met with criticism, with some stating that Dion was trying to cater to her sponsors.[109][110]

After One Heart, she released her next English-language studio album, Miracle (2004). Miracle was a multimedia project conceived by Dion and Australian photographer Anne Geddes and had a theme centring on babies and motherhood. The album was filled with lullabies and other songs of maternal love and inspiration, including covers of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" and John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy". The reviews for Miracle were mixed.[111] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic.com gave the album three of out five stars, stating, "The worst you can say about the record is that there are no surprises, but the audience for this record doesn't want surprises; they want comfort, whether it arrives in polished music or artsy photos of newborns, and Miracle provides both, which makes it appealing for those expectant or new mothers in Dion's audience."[111]Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine wrote that the single "Beautiful Boy" was "an unexpected gem" and called Dion "a timeless, enormously versatile artist",[112] Chuck Arnold of People Magazine, however, labelled the album as excessively sentimental,[113] while Nancy Miller of Entertainment Weekly opined that "the whole earth-mama act is just opportunism, reborn".[114]Miracle debuted at No.4 on the Billboard 200 chart and No.1 in Canada and was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA.[115]

The francophone album 1 fille & 4 types (1 Girl & 4 Guys), released in October 2003, fared better than her previous two releases and showed her trying to distance herself from the "diva" image. She recruited Jean-Jacques Goldman, Gildas Arzel, Eric Benzi, and Jacques Veneruso, with whom she had previously worked on two of her best-selling French albums S'il suffisait d'aimer and D'eux. Labeled "the album of pleasure" by Dion herself, the album cover showed her in a simple and relaxed manner, contrary to the choreographed poses usually found on her album covers. The album achieved widespread commercial success in France, Canada, and Belgium where it reached No.1. In France, the album debuted at No.1 and was later certified 2× platinum after selling over 700,000 copies. Critic Stephen Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that Dion's vocals were "back at top of their game" and that she was "getting back to pop basics and performing at a level unheard in a while".[116]

Though her albums were commercially successful, they did not achieve the sales or the reception of her previous works. Her songs received less airplay as radio became less embracing of balladeers like Dion, Carey, and Houston, and was focused on more up-tempo, Urban/Hip-hop songs.[117] By 2004, Dion had accumulated sales of more than 175 million albums worldwide and received the Chopard Diamond Award from the World Music Awards for her achievements. According to the official World Music Awards website, the award is rare; it is "not presented every year" and an artist can be presented with the award only for selling "over 100 million albums during their career".[118]

2003–2007: A New Day...

In early 2002, Dion announced a three-year, 600-show contract to appear five nights a week in an entertainment extravaganza, A New Day..., at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.[119] This move was generally seen as risky, but journalist Miriam Nunzio wrote that it was "one of the smartest business decisions in years by any major recording artist".[120] Dion conceived the show after seeing O by Franco Dragone during her break from recording, and it premiered on 25 March 2003, in a 4,000-seat arena specifically designed for her show and modelled after the Roman Colosseum.[119] Many stars attended the opening night including Dick Clark, Alan Thicke, Kathy Griffin, Lance Bass, and Justin Timberlake, who hosted the television special.[121] The show, directed by Dragone and choreographed by the renowned Mia Michaels, was a combination of dance, music, and visual effects. It included Dion performing her biggest hits against an array of dancers and special effects. Reviewer Mike Weatherford felt that, at first, Dion was not as relaxed as she should be, and at times, it was hard to find the singer among the excessive stage ornamentation and dancers. However, he noted that the show had become more enjoyable over the course of its run, because of her improved stage-presence and simplified costumes.[59]

The show was well-received by audiences, despite the complaints of expensive tickets[citation needed]; it routinely sold out until its end in late 2007.[122] Ticket prices averaged $135.33.[123] According to Pollstar, Dion sold 322,000 tickets and grossed US$43.9million in the first half of 2005, and by July 2005, she had sold out 315 out of 384 shows.[124] By the end of 2005, she grossed more than US$76million, placing sixth on Billboard's Money Makers list for 2005.[125]A New Day... was the 6th biggest-selling tour in the US in 2006.[126] Because of the show's success, her contract was extended into 2007 for an undisclosed sum. On 5 January 2007, it was announced that the show would end on 15 December 2007, with tickets for the period after October 2007 having gone on sale from 1 March.[127] According to Billboard, A New Day... is the most successful residency of all time, grossing over US$385 million ($465.20 million in 2018 dollars)[128] and drawing nearly three million people to 717 shows.[129] The Live in Las Vegas: A New Day... DVD was released on 10 December 2007, in Europe and the following day in North America.[130]

2007–2010: D'elles, Taking Chances and Taking Chances Tour

On 21 May 2007, Dion released the French-language album D'elles(About Them), which debuted at the top of the Canadian album charts, selling 72,200 copies in its first week. It marked her tenth No. 1 album in the SoundScan era, and her eighth to debut at the top position. In Canada, the album has been certified 2× platinum, and within the first month had already shipped half a million units worldwide.[131]D'Elles also reached No. 1 in France and Belgium. The first single "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" (meaning "And If There Was Only One Woman Left (I Would Be That One)") debuted at the top of the French singles chart a month earlier. Later that same year, she released the English album Taking Chances on 12 November in Europe, and 13 November in North America.[132] Her first English studio album since 2003's One Heart, it featured pop, R&B, and rock inspired music.[133] For this album, she collaborated with John Shanks and ex-Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody, as well as Kristian Lundin, Peer Åström, Linda Perry, Japanese singer Yuna Ito, and R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo.[134][135] Dion stated, "I think this album represents a positive evolution in my career... I'm feeling strong, maybe a little gutsier than in the past, and just as passionate about music and life as I ever was."[136] She launched her year-long worldwide Taking Chances Tour on 14 February 2008, in South Africa, performing 132 dates in stadiums and arenas across five continents.[137]

The Taking Chances Tour was a great success in the United States, reaching the No.1 spot on the Billboard Boxscore, having sold out every concert in the US and Canada. In addition, she appeared on Idol Gives Back for a second year in a row. Dion was nominated for six Juno Awards in 2008, adding to her 53 previous nominations (an all-time record). Her nominations included Artist of the Year, Pop Album of the Year (for Taking Chances), Francophone Album of the Year (for D'elles) and Album of the Year (for both Taking Chances and D'elles).[138] The following year, she was nominated for 3 Juno Awards including the Fan Choice Award, Song of the Year (for Taking Chances), and Music DVD of the Year (for Live in Las Vegas— A New Day...)[139]

In May 2009, Dion was named the 20th best-selling artist of the decade and the second-best-selling female artist of the decade in the United States, selling an estimated 17.57million copies of her albums there since 2000.[143] In June 2009, Forbes reported that she earned $100million during 2008. In December 2009, Pollstar announced that she was the best-selling solo touring act of the decade and the second-best-selling touring act of the decade, behind only the Dave Matthews Band.[144] she grossed $522.2million during the decade, a large portion of that sum coming from her five-year residency at Caesars Palace.[144]

In January 2010, The Los Angeles Times presented its annual list of the top ten largest earners of the year, revealing that Dion took the top spot for the entire decade, with $US747.9million in total revenue from 2000–2009.[149] The largest haul came from ticket sales, totalling $522.2million.[149] Additionally, she was named "Artist of the Decade" in her native Canadian province of Québec, announced by the Montréal-based newspaper, Le Journal de Québec in 2009 December.[150] A public online survey asked responders to vote for whom they believe deserved the above-mentioned accolade.[150]

Furthermore, in a May 2010 Harris Poll, Dion was named the most popular musician in the United States, ahead of U2, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles while factoring in gender, political affiliations, geographic region of residence, and income.[151] Specifically, she was the most popular musician in the female demographic, as well as among all Democrats, those who live in the eastern United States and southern United States, and those who have incomes between US$35k and US$74.9k.[152][153]

In September 2010, she released the single "Voler", a duet with French singer Michel Sardou. The song was later included on Sardou's album.[154] In addition, it was announced in October 2010 that Dion wrote and composed a new song for Canadian singer, Marc Dupré entitled "Entre deux mondes".[155]

2011–2014: Celine, Sans attendre and Loved Me Back to Life

In an interview with People magazine published in February 2010, Dion announced that she would be returning to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for Celine, a three-year residency for seventy shows a year, beginning 15 March 2011.[156] She stated that the show will feature, "all the songs from my repertoire that people want to hear" and will contain a selection of music from classic Hollywood films.[156] To promote her return to Las Vegas, Dion made an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on 21 February, during the show's final season, marking her record twenty-seventh appearance.[157][158] Additionally, for a record sixth time, she performed at the 83rd Academy Awards, where she sang the song "Smile", as part of the ceremony's "In Memoriam" segment.[159] On 4 September, she appeared on the 2011 MDA Labor Telethon Event and presented a prerecorded performance of "Open Arms" from her new Las Vegas show.[160] On 1 October 2011, the OWN Network premiered a documentary on Dion's life, detailing the months before, during and after her pregnancy, to the makings of her new Las Vegas Show, called, "Celine: 3 Boys and a New Show".[161] The documentary became the second highest rated show on TV OWN Canada. In October, FlightNetwork.com conducted a poll asking 780 participants which celebrity they would most like to sit next to on an airplane. Dion was the top favourite, with 23.7% of the vote.[162] Also, in September, she released the 14th perfume from her Celine Dion Parfums Collection, called "Signature".[163] On 15 September, she made an appearance at the free concert of world-famous tenor, Andrea Bocelli, in Central Park in New York.[164] In 2012, she performed at the 16th Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica.[165]

2014–present: Husband's death and Encore un soir

On 13 August 2014, Dion announced the indefinite postponement of all her show business activities, including her concert residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and the cancellation of her Asia Tour, because of the worsening of her husband's health after he underwent the removal of a cancerous tumor in December 2013.[177][178] However, on 20 March 2015, she announced that she would be returning to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in late August 2015.[179] On 14 January 2016, she cancelled the rest of the January performances due to her husband's and her brother's death from cancer.[180] Dion resumed the residency on 23 February to a sold-out crowd and rave reviews.

On 3 May 2018, she released the single "Ashes" from the film Deadpool 2.[196] The remix version of the song topped the US Dance Club Songs chart in July 2018.[197] From June to August 2018, she toured the Asia-Pacific region and grossed $56.5 million from 22 shows.[198] On 24 September 2018, she announced the end of her Las Vegas residency Celine, with the final date set for 8 June 2019.[199] She is currently working on a new English album.[200] In January 2019, she performed "A Change Is Gonna Come" at the "Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul" Franklin's tribute concert, to be broadcast in March 2019.[201][202]

Artistry

Dion was able to collaborate with Barbra Streisand and the Bee Gees (above), both cited as great influences in her recording career.

Musical style

Dion has faced considerable criticism from critics, who state that her music often retreats behind pop and soul conventions, and is marked by excessive sentimentality.[18][81] According to Keith Harris of Rolling Stone magazine, "[Dion's] sentimentality is bombastic and defiant rather than demure and retiring... [she] stands at the end of the chain of drastic devolution that goes Aretha–Whitney–Mariah. Far from being an aberration, Dion actually stands as a symbol of a certain kind of pop sensibility—bigger is better, too much is never enough, and the riper the emotion the more true."[210] Her francophone releases, by contrast, tend to be deeper and more varied than her English releases, and consequently have achieved more credibility.[25][211]

Critics have stated that Dion's involvement in the production aspect of her music is fundamentally lacking, which results in her work being overproduced[211] and impersonal.[25] However, coming from a family in which all of her siblings were musicians, she dabbled in learning how to play instruments like piano and guitar, and practised with a Fender Stratocaster during the recording sessions of her album, Falling into You.[212]

Occasionally, Dion has contributed to the writing of a handful of her English and French songs, as well as writing a few songs for other artists such as Marc Dupre. Additionally, as her career progressed, she found herself taking charge in the production of her albums. On her first English album, which she recorded before she had a firm command of the English language, she expressed disapproval, which could have been avoided if she had assumed more creative input.[25] By the time she released her second English album Celine Dion, she had assumed more control of the production and recording process, hoping to dispel earlier criticisms. She stated, "On the second album I said, 'Well, I have the choice to be afraid one more time and not be 100% happy, or not be afraid and be part of this album.' This is my album."[25] Besides her contributions to some of her early French albums, Dion wrote a few of the songs on Let's Talk About Love (1997) and These Are Special Times (1998).[213]

She is often the subject of media ridicule[214] and parody and is frequently impersonated on shows such as MADtv, Saturday Night Live, South Park, Royal Canadian Air Farce, and This Hour Has 22 Minutes for her strong accent and on-stage gesticulations. However, she has stated that she is unaffected by the comments, and is flattered that people take the time to impersonate her.[85] She even invited Ana Gasteyer, who parodied her on SNL, to appear on stage during one of her performances in New York. While she is rarely politically outspoken, in 2005 following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Dion appeared on Larry King Live and tearfully criticized the US government's slow response in aiding the victims of the hurricane: "There's people still there waiting to be rescued. To me that is not acceptable... How can it be so easy to send planes in another country to kill everybody in a second and destroy lives. We need to serve our country."[215] After her interview, she stated, "When I do interviews with Larry King or the big TV shows like that, they put you on the spot, which is very difficult. I do have an opinion, but I'm a singer. I'm not a politician."[216]

Voice and timbre

Dion is often regarded as one of pop music's most influential voices.[18][25][217] According to Linda Lister in Divafication: The Deification of Modern Female Pop Stars, she has been described as a reigning "Queen of Pop" for her influence over the record industry during the 1990s, alongside other female entertainers, including Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.[218] In a countdown of the "22 Greatest Voices in Music" by Blender Magazine and MTV, she placed ninth (sixth for a female), and she was also placed fourth in Cover Magazineis list of "The 100 Outstanding Pop Vocalists".[219][220][221] Dion is often compared to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston for her vocal style and to her idol, Barbra Streisand, for her voice.[222]

She possesses a three-octave range, from B2 to E♭6.[223][224] She once stated that she is a mezzo-soprano.[225] However, attempts to adapt classical voice types to other forms of singing have been met with controversy.[226] Without making a classification, maestro Kent Nagano remarked, "All you just sang was full lyric soprano", after Dion auditioned with two solos from Carmen, wanting to know if she could sing opera.[225] Her timbre has been described as "thin, slightly nasal"[227] with a "raspy" lower register and "bell glass-like high notes".[228]

She is often praised for her technical virtuosity.[229] Jim Santella of The Buffalo News writes "Like an iron fist in a velvet glove, the power of Celine Dion's voice is cloaked in a silky vibrato that betrays the intensity of her vocal commitment."[230] Jeff Miers, also of The Buffalo News, says of Dion "Her singing voice is absolutely extra-human. She hits notes in full voice, with a controlled vibrato and an incredible conception of pitch, like she's shucking an ear of corn"[231] Stephen Holden of The New York Times states that Dion has "a good-sized arsenal of technical skills. She can deliver tricky melismas, produce expressive vocal catches and sustain long notes without the tiniest wavering of pitch. And as her duets... have shown, she is a reliable harmony voice."[227] In an interview with Libération, Jean-Jacques Goldman notes that she has "no problem of accuracy or tempo".[232] According to Kent Nagano, maestro of the Munich Symphony Orchestra, she is "a musician who has a good ear, a refinement, and a degree of perfection that is enviable".[225] Charles Alexander of Time states, "[Her] voice glides effortlessly from deep whispers to dead-on high notes, a sweet siren that combines force with grace."[24]

In her French repertoire, Dion adorns her vocals with more nuances and expressiveness, with the emotional intensity being "more tender and intimate".[233] Additionally, Luc Plamondon, a French singer-songwriter who has worked closely with Dion claims that there are three chanteuses (stylistically) that she uses: the Québécois, the French, and the American.[233] Her self-titled album was promoted with the slogan "Remember the name because you'll never forget the voice."[citation needed]

Legacy

Dion is regarded as one of pop music's most influential voices. Linda Lister describes her as a reigning Queen of Pop for her influence over the record industry during the 1990s.[234] Her music and vocal style, alongside that of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, have been said to shape how the bulk of modern female pop vocalists sing. These three singers have been widely credited with reviving the power ballad, and in doing so reshaping the adult contemporary radio format, making it one of the most popular formats of the 1990s and early 2000s. According to producer, musician, and former American Idol judge Randy Jackson, Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston are the voices of the modern era.[235] Music critic and Dion biographer Carl Wilson notes that her "fame and influence is also renewed and expressed regularly these days by American Idol, the largest mass musical phenomenon of the past decade, where Celine's stood solidly in its pantheon of singers for young people to emulate".[236] Many contestants on the countless televised talent competitions that have risen at the turn of the millennium often emulate Dion, Houston and Carey and cite them as idols.[237]

According to Timbaland, "Celine has such a beautiful, mesmerizing voice. She is so talented. I think we could create something that is a classic like she is already." Josh Groban remarked "She's a powerhouse. In this day and age, when more and more studio-produced, tiny-tiny voices are being rewarded... she has this extraordinary instrument.".[243] "Celine is the best singer by far of her generation" according to Diane Warren,[270] an opinion shared by Quincy Jones,[271]Tommy Mottola, and David Foster.[272] Moreover, Shania Twain and Jennifer Lopez have praised her dynamic stage presence, with Jennifer Lopez commenting on American Idol: "Celine gets on stage, she owns the stage, she runs all over that stage, she stops that stage."[273]

On a cultural level, Dion is credited for introducing francophone music to many non-francophone countries around the globe. Her albums D'eux and S'il suffisait d'aimer remain the best selling francophone albums in history, gaining unprecedented success in non-Francophone markets such as the United Kingdom, Poland, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Japan, and New Zealand. According to RFI Musique, she "has done her bit for French music over the years, assuring the success of French songs which would probably never have got beyond Francophone borders without her... Without Celine, French record sales would be dramatically lower!"[274] In 2008, she received the Legion of Honour from Nicolas Sarkozy.[275] Sarkozy praised Dion and stated: "France thanks you because your talent and success have contributed to the influence of the French language outside our borders".[276]

She is also credited for both revitalizing and revolutionizing the entertainment scene in Las Vegas with the gargantuan successes of her residencies there. She managed to re-popularize the Las Vegas "residency" as a desirable way for top artists to essentially tour in place, letting their fans come to them. Over the years, fellow established icons such as Elton John, Bette Midler, Rod Stewart, Cher, and Shania Twain followed suit.[277][bettersourceneeded] According to Gary Bongiovanni, president and editor-in-chief of Pollstar "Celine redefined what artists can do in Las Vegas, helping to make it arguably the busiest entertainment city in the world."[278] By 2013, even the much-younger pop star Britney Spears had announced a Vegas residency, further cementing the extent of Dion's influence on the city as an entertainment capital.[279][bettersourceneeded] Kurt Melien, vice-president of entertainment at Caesar's Palace stated "Celine was a pioneer without question... Twenty years ago, we couldn't have got someone the stature of Britney Spears to appear in Vegas. Stars likes her would never have considered it if Celine hadn't paved the way. She changed the face of modern Vegas."[280]
Regarding her financial impact on Las Vegas, Stephen Brown, director of the Centre for Business and Economic Research in Las Vegas, commented "People will come to the city just for her and they will spend money and as a consequence, she has an outsized impact on the economy", then adding "Bigger than Elvis, Sinatra and Liberace put together? Definitely." Estimations indicate that Dion's show will create up to 7,000 indirect jobs and around $114 million worth of new economic activity in each of the three years for which she has been contracted.[281]

Other activities

Business endeavours

Les Productions Feeling Inc., also known as Feeling Inc. or just Feeling, is an artist management company based in Laval, Québec, Canada, and owned by Dion and her husband and manager, Rene Angélil. She is also founder of Nickels Restaurant food chain. She and her husband also own Le Mirage Golf Club and Schwartz's Restaurant. In association with Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Shaquille O'Neal, she opened a popular night club called Pure, located at Caesars Palace.[295]

Dion became an entrepreneur with the establishment of her franchise restaurant Nickels in 1990. She has since divested her interests in the chain and is no longer affiliated with Nickels, as of 1997.[296] In 2003, Dion signed a deal with Coty, Inc. to release Celine Dion Parfums.[297] Her latest fragrance, Signature, was released in September 2011[163] with an advertising campaign by New York agency Kraftworks NYC.[298] Since its inception, Celine Dion Parfums has grossed over $850million in retail sales.[299][300] In October 2004, Air Canada hired Dion as part of their promotional campaign to unveil new service products and an updated livery. "You and I", the theme song sung by Dion, was written by advertising executives working for Air Canada.[301]

Philanthropy

Dion has actively supported many charity organizations, worldwide. She has promoted the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) since 1982, and became the foundation's National Celebrity Patron in 1993.[302] She has an emotional attachment to the foundation; her niece Karine succumbed to the disease at the age of sixteen, in Dion's arms. In 2003, she joined a number of other celebrities, athletes, and politicians, including Josh Groban and Yolanda Adams to support "World Children's Day", a global fundraising effort sponsored by McDonald's. The effort raised money from more than 100 nations and benefited orphanages and children's health organizations. In addition, she has been a major supporter of the T.J. Martell Foundation, the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, and many health and educational campaigns. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she donated $1million to the victims of the storm, and held a fund-raising event for the victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami, which subsequently raised more than $1million.[303] After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, she donated $100,000 to China Children & Teenagers' Fund and sent a letter showing her consolation and support.[304] Since 2004, she is involved, alongside husband René Angelil, with the Québec gay community by supporting the publication of health and HIV prevention materials in Gay Globe Magazine, owned by journalist Roger-Luc Chayer.[305] She is also a member of Canadian charity Artists Against Racism.[306] In November 2018, she launched a gender-neutral clothing line for kids, Celinununu.[307]

Personal life

Dion resides in Henderson, Nevada.[308] She first met her husband and manager, René Angélil, in 1980, when she was 12 and he was 38, after her brother, Michel Dondalinger Dion, sent him a demonstration recording of "Ce n'était qu'un rêve" ("It Was Only a Dream/Nothing But A Dream"), a song she, her mother the former Thérèse Tanguay, and her brother Jacques Dion had jointly written and composed. Dion and Angélil began a relationship in 1987 and became engaged in 1991. They married on 17 December 1994, at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, Quebec. On 5 January 2000, Dion and Angélil renewed their wedding vows in Las Vegas.[309]

In May 2000, Dion had two small operations at a fertility clinic in New York to improve her chances of conceiving, after deciding to use in-vitro fertilization because of years of failed attempts to conceive. Their first son, René-Charles Angélil, was born on 25 January 2001. In May 2010, Angélil announced that Dion was 14 weeks pregnant with twins after a sixth treatment of in-vitro fertilization. On Saturday, 23 October 2010, at 11:11 and 11:12am respectively, at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, Dion, by Caesarean section, gave birth to healthy fraternal twins.[310] The twins were named Eddy, after Dion's favourite French songwriter, Eddy Marnay, who had also produced her first five albums, and Nelson, after former South African President Nelson Mandela.[311] She appeared with her newborn sons on the cover of 9 December 2010 issue of the Canadian edition of Hello! magazine.[312]

On 14 January 2016, Angélil died from complications of cancer.[313][314] Two days later, her brother Daniel, died at age 59, also of cancer.[315]

↑ "If Ella Fitzgerald is the queen of jazz, Billie Holiday first lady of the blues, and Aretha Franklin the queen of soul, then who is the queen of pop? In the 1990s, it would seem to be a three-way tie between Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion. Certainly all three have their devotees and detractors, but their presence has been inescapable." in Lister, Linda (2001). "Divafication: The Deification of Modern Female Pop Stars". Popular Music and Society. 25 (3/4). p.1. ISSN0300-7766.